Title: Quietly And Safely

Author: Jungle Kitty

Series: Any (Star Trek)

Posted: 5/26/03

Part: 1/1

Codes: None

Rating: G

Archive: ASC yes, all others please ask

Summary: I was thinking about the dreams that almost everyone has, such as the one where you're back in high school and you can't find your locker or you're late for class or you didn't know there was a test. So what's the nightmare that everyone in Starfleet shares?

Not beta'd. It's just a dream.

The Star Trek characters and universe are the property of Paramount and Viacom. This not-for-profit piece of fan fiction is not intended to infringe upon that. The copyright applies only to the author's original characters and creative content.

QUIETLY AND SAFELY
(c) 2003 Jungle Kitty

Dreaming permits each and every one of us to be
quietly and safely insane every night of our lives.
William Dement

I'm walking down the corridor of a starship. What ship? I don't know. How strange. It's my ship, I'm assigned here. It seems like I should know her name.

People walk past and don't acknowledge me in any way. I realize that not only do I not know what ship this is, I don't know my own rank. I look down at my uniform.

No uniform. I'm naked.

God, how could I have forgotten to put on clothes?

I cover myself as best I can with my hands and walk faster, and then I run. Maybe I can get to my quarters and put on some clothes before anyone notices. Then I realize I don't know where my
quarters are. I don't know what deck I'm on. There's nothing, no signs or markings on the doors or bulkheads. My stomach knots up, the beginning of panic, it builds and quickens and then it's
something else. Fear. Something's going to happen. My nakedness doesn't matter, in fact, it seems to have disappeared even though I still have no clothing. But no time to analyze--something's going to happen. It's going to happen. It's--

Suddenly there are people all around me, some walking very fast, others running, a few jumping into access tubes that lead to other decks. I hear the klaxon sounding, over and over, more urgent with every shriek.

Shit! I don't know where I'm supposed to go. I don't know what my station is. The bridge? Engineering? Sick bay?

"Didn't you hear the captain, mister? Battle stations!"

I spin in the direction of the voice. There's someone there--an officer--but I can't make out his face. He's angry. But he knows-- he knows my rank, my station, he knows the name of the ship!

Sir, I don't know--

"I said battle stations!"

But, sir, if you'd just--

From somewhere further down the corridor, someone calls my name. I abandon the officer and run, dodging the people who hurry by, and in a few cases, slamming into them and continuing on without apology.

I'm in a genuine panic now. They're all calm, professional, prepared, but I'm frantic. The ship--whatever ship this is--this ship is fighting for her life and it all depends on me and I DON'T
KNOW WHERE TO GO!

"Over here!"

The same voice. This time I see someone, unrecognizable but waving at me. Why can't I see him clearly? There's no smoke, not yet, oh God, there will be smoke, lots of it and soon if I don't--if I
don't what?

Damn it, what am I supposed to do? SOMEBODY TELL ME!

"Over here!"

It's the same person standing dead center of the intersection of C19 and C24.

How do I know those numbers? There's nothing to indicate--Wait a minute, C19 and C24 don't intersect. C24 doesn't even exist.

Must be the new design.

New design?

Remember, remember. Yes! I remember! The last time we were in spacedock, they put in a bunch of new sectors, along with the tunnels that let you slip back home on your off-duty hours. That's when they moved my quarters too from Deck 12 to--to--

New sectors? Tunnels for home visits? What the hell?

"Over here!"

On my way!

I run, run, RUN.

He turns and heads down C24. C24? Oh right, new design. Don't think, just run. I round the corner into an empty corridor. There's noise all around but no one and nothing to indicate where
it's coming from.

I try to yell "Hey!" and no sound comes out. I try again. The cry is stuck in my throat, choking me. I push on it, I force a sound, I scream, and it comes out a feeble "unhhhh."

"Where's your station, mister?"

It's that officer again, still angry, only now he's invisible. Standing in front of double doors, blocking them--but he's invisible--yeah, but he's an officer--he's blocking the doors that lead to my station, my answers. I can almost make out the ship's registration number, printed right there. And the name, the name of the ship is there too! Thank God!

Since when do they plaster ship names and registration numbers all over the bulkheads?

Stop asking questions and read it!

It says...it says...I can't make it out. The letters keep twisting.

"Where's your station, mister?"

I DON'T KNOW! Sir.

Then he's gone and the doors open. I step through them into a room I recognize. Something familiar at last. I've never been there before but I know it. The panic drains out of me. I know this
place. It's in a lot of my dreams.

Is this a dream?

Of course it's a dream! So I'll just wake up. It just takes willpower...a little determination...wake up!

Almost there! I can see consciousness just above me. It's like I'm underwater, I'm kicking to force myself upwards, I can see the sun through the water and I--will--wake--up! Almost there--almost
there--

"Move it, mister, don't you know a red alert when you hear one?"

Shit, I was almost out of this! DAMN! Oh hell, I'm crying in front of an officer. But it's so unfair. He knows everything! Why won't he tell me?

"I said--"

Yes, sir, I will, I'll find my battle station, sir, but tell me, please just tell me. Is this a dream? Is it? Is it?

SIR?

[End]